<p>I got email from scholarship office that they hope to have scholarship info up by mid August…kind of late this year…hope that does not imply changes.</p>
<p>Oh my…that is worrisome. They told me last week that they don’t expect it to change. I am not counting my chickens though until they hatch online!!! Lol!</p>
<p>Hey guys! I’m from Illinois and just submitted my application today!! Anyways, I was wondering how long I should I be expecting to wait until I recieve my CWID. Also, I was wondering if there are any additional essays required for scholarships (hoping to get the full tuition ~ 34 ACT and 4.0 GPA) or the honors college. Thanks!!</p>
<p>NC Mom - Have you been here before? PM me if you have any questions about the area. We have lived here for about 15 years, so we know the area well.</p>
<p>warren1717 - the “regular” merit tuition scholarships are automatic, depending on your meeting their qualifications. There is a separate scholarship application for some additional funds, but most people will agree that these are mostly given to those who do not get the automatic tuition scholarships (spreading the love around, so to speak). Some of those additional, smaller scholarships have additional work to be done (some have essays, additional paperwork and documentation to send in, etc.), and these will be explained on the scholarship app once you are admitted. Also, if you join the Honors College, each year for returning students, they have some smaller scholarships as well. The deadline for these has always been Dec 1, so put that on your calendar now. There are some smaller departmental scholarships, but again, most people have said that these are reserved mainly for students who have not qualified for the larger tuition scholarships already.</p>
<p>Also, yes, there are some short essay prompts (mere paragraphs, really) on the Honors College app, which is how you apply for the CBHP, etc. And, finally, there is a separate prompt if you apply for University Fellows. If you are interested in any of these additional opportunities (they are not for everyone and are pretty highly competitive), take the Honors College app seriously (despite its simplicity) and be thoughtful in your responses.</p>
<p>Lastly, if you are serious about getting additional scholarships, I’ve posted some advice on this in previous threads. Mine your heritage and your parents’ memberships…mine your special talents…and look deeply within your major field of study to find those organizations and associations which give out scholarships, because every field has these groups. PM me if you want specifics. Good luck.</p>
<p>Wow aeromom thank you for the great response!</p>
<p>Thanks ProudBamaMama! Will do!</p>
<p>Haha, someone should make a Facebook page once acceptance letters start rolling out!</p>
<p>^Definitely! I put you in charge of that Edjumacation!</p>
<p>I don’t understand why so many folks are fretting over the possible change in the scholarship requirements?? If your kids are in line for the prez at Alabama, then they have the stats to receive merit $ at lots of schools.</p>
<p>True bigdaddy but DD has her heart set on Bama now. She doesn’t want to go to any of those other schools! If the scholarship requirements change, we will need to do some scrambling. She had looked at other schools but none hold a candle in her eyes to Bama. Without the scholarship, she will not be able to attend.</p>
<p>I think that many people believe that the only reason kids want to go to UA is because of the scholarships. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The scholarships just put UA on the table - the visit often seals the deal. (And yes, many of these high achieving kids have several other choices - but choose UA in the end for countless reasons.)</p>
<p>So true RTRMom2! We visited Bama last August. We also visited Emory and Vanderbilt on the same trip. The other two didn’t even compare in DD’s eyes! She was riding the Crimson Tide before we even arrived home. And that was the summer before her Junior year!</p>
<p>I understand all that. My D did the HC visit and tour with my W and both were very impressed. Bama rolled out the red carpet and the campus is beautiful. BUT…the first rule of college looking is…DON’T fall in love! My D’s stats are just slightly above the Prez standard. If UA moves the bar, then we move on to the other terrific schools on D’s lists and never look back. I truly hope the scholarship standards remain the same so that Bama remains a viable option, but staying out of debt trumps any school we’ve visited.</p>
<p>How long should I expect to wait to receive my CWID after I apply?</p>
<p>I’ll be attending UNC if the scholarship doesn’t work out, though I hope it doesn’t come to that. I can’t understand why, if there will be no merit aid changes, they can’t update that page.</p>
<p>I hear you BigDaddy! But the only way to completely not fall in love is not to look at all! We too have our limit in what we will spend. DS could have gone to UA practically free, or actually more than free, on the NMF scholarship and Engineering scholarship a couple of years ago before they cut out three years of the housing scholarship, but they didn’t really have two of the three subjects he wanted to study. We told him we would cover our instate, extremely great option and anything more than that was on him. DS chose his dream school, USC, and he has never looked back despite the fact that he personally pays about $8000 a year through summer earnings and subsidized loans. DD will also find her place and make it work. If Alabama reduces the scholarship, she will either do the same as DS and contribute her own earnings (she has worked summers since she was 14) or find another option that meets our financial requirements, but right now this is her dream. We are just eager to see if the dream will happen! Good luck to you all too!</p>
<p>@BigDaddy</p>
<p>The truth is that while many will be eligible for merit aid elsewhere, many will not. My son went to Bama from North Carolina on the National Merit Scholarship. He applied at NCSU and UNC-CH. He did not get aid offered from either. The last in the fold had a 2150 SAT with 1430 M+R. While he <em>may</em> get offers from other schools, I don’t think that anything will come close to full tuition at UA. There are a lot of students with stats like his and often not enough merit money to trickle down. Ultimately, it will be his choice where to go. If he goes with the cheaper option there may be money to help him with other niceties. $40-50k savings from free tuition is something that may be the difference between someone attending college and/or graduating debt free from college. It’s worth getting a little excited about.</p>
<p>My DD was swayed by the merit money first but has since fallen in love with the campus. We had told her and DS that we would buy a car for college (after freshman year) if they earned a full scholarship … she happily drove her CRIMSON car to summer school last month. We still come out money ahead and she will likely graduate debt-free.</p>
<p>Not sure DS (now a senior) will make the same financial decision, have to wait and see. He can buy me a tshirt when we visit other campuses, but he can’t make me wear it!</p>
<p>Colobamamom, we also have promised a new car to DD if she gets the full tuition scholarship. What kind of car is her crimson ride?</p>